On June 9, 1830, in Fayette, N.Y., the first general conference of the Church was held. The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded that "our numbers were about thirty, besides whom many assembled with us, who were either believers or anxious to learn." (History of the Church 1:84-85.)

Among miraculous spiritual manifestations that occurred on that occasion was a vision of the future given to Newel Knight in which he "saw there represented the great work which through [Joseph Smith's] instrumentality was yet to be accomplished."

Is it possible that Brother Knight and others of the early saints foresaw our day? Could they have known that in April 2003 we would be following the precedent established by that little congregation in 1830 of holding general gatherings of the Latter-day Saints where "much exhortation and instruction [is] given" and where "the Holy Ghost [is] poured out upon us?"

At a time when the gospel is literally filling the earth in fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy (see Daniel 2:28-45) why does the Church continue to have what are now large, central gatherings, using state-of-the-art technology to carry the proceedings worldwide? Of what relevance and importance can sermons delivered from a single pulpit be to millions of listeners in far-flung locales?

Perhaps we can find an answer by considering a phenomenon in the Doctrine and Covenants. Two of the sections therein, 15 and 16, are identical in wording, except that in the first verse, one is addressed to John Whitmer and the other to Peter Whitmer. It is remarkable enough that consecutive revelations with the self-same wording should appear in the book. But it is still more curious that the heading to Section 15 contains this statement: "The message is intimately and impressively personal, in that the Lord tells of what was known only to John Whitmer and himself."

Intimately and impressively personal? One might be tempted to conclude the opposite in view of the fact that the wording is the same in both sections. Tempted, that is, until one ponders the matter more deeply.

What is it that makes this revelation intimately personal to each man? It is, of course, the individual events and circumstances in the life of each recipient and the application thereto of the wording in the revelation. No doubt, John and Peter Whitmer had each desired to know from God that which would be of the most worth to him. And, no doubt, each had received the answer: "to declare repentance unto this people" and thereby bring souls to Christ. This revelation given through a prophet and carried into their hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost verified to each man that the answer he had previously and privately received was genuine.

Indeed, Sections 15 and 16 could be "intimately and impressively personal" to many individual readers of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is likely that over the years millions have had experiences like that described therein. Placement of these two identically worded revelations in the scriptural canon teaches us an important principle: A divinely inspired pronouncement can convey personal and powerful significance to different people based upon their individual circumstances, needs and spiritual receptivity. Augmented by enlightenment from the Holy Ghost, it can be a conduit for personal revelation.

So how do we apply this principle to general conference? Servants of God, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, speak His mind and will. (See Doctrine and Covenants 68:4.) They can be inspired to word their sermons such that they have the potential to convey individual, intimate and personal meaning to a listener whether he lives in Provo, Utah, or Accra, Ghana, whether she hears it live in the Conference Center or reads it years later in one of the Church magazines or on the Internet.

As we anticipate once again the spiritual feast that is general conference, let us do so with a prayer in our hearts that we each will find among the sermons a message that is "intimately and impressively personal."

On June 9, 1830, in Fayette, N.Y., the first general conference of the Church was held. The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded that "our numbers were about thirty, besides whom many assembled with us, who were either believers or anxious to learn." (History of the Church 1:84-85)

Among miraculous spiritual manifestations that occurred on that occasion was a vision of the future given to Newel Knight in which he "saw there represented the great work which through [Joseph Smith's] instrumentality was yet to be accomplished."

Is it possible that Brother Knight and others of the early saints foresaw our day? Could they have known that in April 2003 we would be following the precedent established by that little congregation in 1830 of holding general gatherings of the Latter-day Saints where "much exhortation and instruction [is] given" and where "the Holy Ghost [is] poured out upon us"?

At a time when the gospel is literally filling the earth in fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy (see Daniel 2:28-45) why does the Church continue to have what are now large, central gatherings, using state-of-the-art technology to carry the proceedings worldwide? Of what relevance and importance can sermons delivered from a single pulpit be to millions of listeners in far-flung locales?

Perhaps we can find an answer by considering a phenomenon in the Doctrine and Covenants. Two of the sections therein, 15 and 16, are identical in wording, except that in the first verse, one is addressed to John Whitmer and the other to Peter Whitmer. It is remarkable enough that consecutive revelations with the self-same wording should appear in the book. But it is still more curious that the heading to Section 15 contains this statement: "The message is intimately and impressively personal, in that the Lord tells of what was known only to John Whitmer and himself."

Intimately and impressively personal? One might be tempted to conclude the opposite in view of the fact that the wording is the same in both sections. Tempted, that is, until one ponders the matter more deeply.

What is it that makes this revelation intimately personal to each man? It is, of course, the individual events and circumstances in the life of each recipient and the application thereto of the wording in the revelation. No doubt, John and Peter Whitmer had each desired to know from God that which would be of the most worth to him. And, no doubt, each had received the answer: "to declare repentance unto this people" and thereby bring souls to Christ. This revelation given through a prophet and carried into their hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost verified to each man that the answer he had previously and privately received was genuine.

Indeed, Sections 15 and 16 could be "intimately and impressively personal" to many individual readers of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is likely that over the years millions have had experiences like that described therein. Placement of these two identically worded revelations in the scriptural canon teaches us an important principle: A divinely inspired pronouncement can convey personal and powerful significance to different people based upon their individual circumstances, needs and spiritual receptivity. Augmented by enlightenment from the Holy Ghost, it can be a conduit for personal revelation.

So how do we apply this principle to general conference? Servants of God, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, speak His mind and will. (See Doctrine and Covenants 68:4.) They can be inspired to word their sermons such that they have the potential to convey individual, intimate and personal meaning to a listener whether he lives in Provo, Utah, or Accra, Ghana, whether she hears it live in the Conference Center or reads it years later in one of the Church magazines or on the Internet.

As we anticipate once again the spiritual feast that is general conference, let us do so with a prayer in our hearts that we each will find among the sermons a message that is "intimately and impressively personal."